


Devil in Me

by FairytaleBeginnings



Series: The Devil Saga [2]
Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, F/M, Family, Grief/Mourning, High School, Human/Vampire Relationship, Humor, Imprinting, Imprinting (Twilight), Light Angst, Magic, Mommy Issues, Mystery, Native American Character(s), Native American/First Nations Legends & Lore, Romance, Shapeshifting, Soulmates, Strong Female Characters, Supernatural Elements, Vampires, Werewolves, Witch Bella Swan, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:48:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24924904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FairytaleBeginnings/pseuds/FairytaleBeginnings
Summary: Sequel to Devil's PlaygroundForced apart from her soulmate, Emme Wildes puts all her efforts into growing stronger and more powerful so they can be reunited... until she finds her life entwined with a wolf pack, that is. They need her help just as much as she needs theirs, and none of them are willing to admit it.(A continuation of the Twilight Saga inspired by what would happen if Bella had been a witch)
Relationships: Edward Cullen/Original Character(s), Edward Cullen/Original Female Character(s), Sam Uley/Emily Young
Series: The Devil Saga [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1803775
Comments: 29
Kudos: 115





	1. Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> This work is the sequel to Devil's Playground. If you haven't read that, I highly recommend you check it out to avoid confusion!

I pulled into the parking lot at Forks High School more on edge than I had felt in a while.

The day came with mixed feelings—it was the first time I'd spent my birthday without my mother or any other relative for that matter. Birthdays weren't exactly the highlight of the year for a witch, but this one was managing to put aspects of my life into perspective. So much had changed in so little time. Some of it was for the worse.

But some of it was for the better.

Edward Cullen was leaning motionlessly against his shiny, silver Volvo. He looked like a marble tribute to some god of beauty, and the perfectly tailored outfit he wore only added to the effect. His copper hair was darker than it was in the sunlight, though it was still effortlessly tousled. His skin was far paler than any human—including me—but there was an easy enough explanation for that.

Edward and the rest of his family were vampires.

Of course, that didn't much matter when you were a witch.

Edward straightened as he watched me pull in to my parking spot a small, crooked grin playing across his features. Just like every other day, he made his way as quickly as he could (without arousing human suspicion) to my side.

Alice, his sister and my best friend, followed closely after him. They weren't actually related; none of the Cullens were. That measly fact didn't stop their familial bonds from forming over the decades they had spent together.

Alice's eyes were alight with excitement. I could tell she wanted to fidget, but whatever she was holding stopped her from doing so. It was a small box wrapped in silver wrapping paper and tied with a metallic gold bow.

I sighed, defeated already. I told them that I didn't want to make a fuss for my birthday. To someone like me, birthdays didn't even really matter. My time on earth wasn't as short as a human's was—a concept I knew for a fact they could relate to. But Edward had taken to insisting I lead as normal a life as possible while I could. That's what I had wanted before being thrust into the world of vampires over the last year, but now I was mainly just doing it to make him happy. We both knew that normality was impossible for a witch… especially a witch with a vampire soulmate.

Plus, Alice loved planning and celebrating stuff like this. Who was I to deny my best friend from enjoying herself?

"Happy birthday, Emme!" Alice threw her arms around my neck.

I staggered under the force of it. She was absolutely holding back, but the tiny girl sometimes forgot her own strength. Edward immediately grabbed my elbow to keep me upright.

"Sorry," Alice grinned sheepishly. "Do you want your present now or later?" she asked, gesturing to the box in her hand.

I glanced around to make sure that no one had heard her outburst. "Later is fine. I don't mind you making a fuss, Alice, but I'd like to keep this whole birthday thing on the down-low to the humans."

Alice shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Edward's hand moved from my elbow and found its way into mine. His skin was smooth and cold—a stark contrast to my own. He leaned down, lips meeting my own before moving back up to my ear. "Happy birthday."

I shuddered.

He pulled away grinning smugly at my expression.

Alice rolled her eyes. "What time are you going to be over tonight?"

I'd finally managed to spend more time in my own home than in the Cullen's. It took a couple of months to get used to the emptiness of the large home my aunts lived in, but it didn't bother me as much anymore. I'd received a visit from the police chief of Forks, Charlie Swan, after he somehow found out that I'd been living alone. News travels in a small town, I suppose. An easy glamour cleared everything up, and I was left to my own devices. I was never really alone anyway, not when the Cullens had something to say about it.

"I didn't know I was coming over," I told her honestly. I'd known she was planning something—it was Alice—but she had forgotten to actually invite me to it.

"You can take the car home, Alice. I'll ride with Emme after school," Edward offered.

I smiled and squeezed his hand in thanks.

The bell rang, and the students that had been hanging out around the main building and in the parking lot began to make their way to their classes.

"See you two at lunch!" She sent me a grin—the wide smiled exposed her perfect, glistening teeth—then pecked me on the cheek before dancing off toward her first class.

I shook my head at her antics. Alice and I weren't alike at all, but that's part of why we got along so well. I trusted her completely. Our relationship was much different than my relationship with Edward who I was actually quite similar to.

We took our usual seats in the back of the classroom. Our schedules had "coincidentally" ended up almost identical. Whether it was Edward's doing or mine, neither of us knew for sure, but it was fair enough to assume that we both had manipulated the system to have it end up that way.

On the first day of my senior year, I had been the subject of gossip not unlike my first day of school back in January. This time it was because I was making an appearance after what must have looked like disappearing off the face of the earth for the last four months. The official story as to how I ended up unconscious for two months with one of my aunts dead and the other in a coma was a gas leak. I didn't know how the people of Forks managed to believe that story, but I was thankful they did. I supposed it helped that the one spreading the story was the most respected physician in a thousand-mile radius.

As if that wasn't bad enough, I had strolled into school on the arm of Edward Cullen. I'd forgotten that the last time anyone saw me we had only just gotten over stubbornly ignoring each other.

I should have called my school friends sooner, but beyond assuring them I was all right, I didn't talk to them much over the summer. I was much too busy trying to overcome my guilt over losing my aunts to be any sort of a fun person to be around—no matter what Edward, Alice, and even Emmett said.

It was mid-September now, and the gossip had calmed down, thankfully. Not even Mike or Tyler looked at me though I single-handedly dashed their hopes and dreams anymore. That glance was now reserved for Edward, which he took great pride in.

It did make lunch just the slightest bit awkward, however. The Cullens used to sit alone, but now that Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett had "graduated," they sat with me at my insistence. Edward liked that I had normal friends, but he didn't exactly enjoy being around them. It meant he had to be extra careful. And my friends—Mike and Jess, Angela and her new boyfriend Ben, Eric, Conner, Tyler, and depending on what her mood was like, Lauren—mostly accepted that they were going to sit with us, though they weren't brave enough to include them as I did.

The Cullens made people feel uneasy. They weren't human, and those that were could sense it even if just subconsciously. I was the bridge that linked the two. I wasn't human, but I wasn't an immortal either. I managed to fit in with both for the most part.

The afternoon passed surprisingly quickly. I didn't like people to fuss over me, but I was a tiny bit interested in seeing what Alice had planned.

Edward walked with me to my aunts' SUV after classes ended. Ever the gentleman, he held open the passenger door and gestured. I hopped in eager to get out of the rain.

"Pick your poison," I commanded as he climbed in behind the wheel.

We had taken to choosing a different radio station every time we were in a car together, committing to one genre of music for however long we had to drive. It was Edward's turn to choose the station. He obviously knew more songs than I did, but I kept up more than the average teen would be able.

Edward reached over the armrest, taking my face in his hands. They moved gently down my cheek then back up through my loose hair. "It's your birthday, you should choose today." He pressed his icy lips against mine, much less chaste than what he had done this morning in the parking lot.

I couldn't stop myself from grinning against him and wrapping my own arms around his neck, pulling him closer still. He responded just as enthusiastically. My pulse quickened.

Until the radio blew, that is.

I jerked away from Edward with a yelp as sparks and then smoke came out of CD player. The stereo made a sharp screeching noise before fading away into silence.

Edward snickered.

I grumbled, annoyed about ruining the moment. My magic stemmed from my emotions. When I was with Edward, it was hard for me to concentrate let alone remember to keep them in check. It was just as hard for him to remember to be gentle with me when he could easily snap me in half or break my skin with his teeth. So far, he had been much more successful at self-control than me.

"What are the odds that Rosalie will look into it for me?" I mused as Edward pulled out of the parking lot and began driving toward his home. It was a rhetorical question. Rosalie tolerated me because I had saved her sister's life, but that was the extent of our relationship. She assumed that as a witch, I would bring their family nothing but trouble when they ought to be keeping a low profile.

Rosalie was right, of course, but Edward and Alice didn't care. The rest of their family treated me like one of them, no matter how much I insisted that I didn't deserve it. They wouldn't have been in any sort of trouble, to begin with, if not for me. They also would still probably be _in_ trouble if not for me, though. It was only fair that they make their own judgments just as I had made mine about them and their kind. I'd never force Rosalie to like me, even though I easily could through magical means.

Edward snorted at the thought of his sister helping me voluntarily. Rosalie was almost as stubborn as I was. He pushed the Infiniti much faster than the speed limit allowed. I didn't mind. I loved the rush that speed brought. Driving with Edward was nothing compared to running with him. Maybe I could persuade him to take me on one later this evening.

"I know celebrating your birthday isn't important to you, Emme, but will you do me a favor?" Edward asked.

"Of course. You know you don't have to ask."

"The last birthday any of them celebrated was Emmett's back in 1935. They're all very excited about tonight."

"Almost all," I amended.

He rolled his eyes. "You know what I'm saying."

I smiled softly. "You know I'll play along. I wouldn't want to ruin their fun."

We pulled up to the Cullen house. Light shined from almost every window, making it easy to see their expansive front yard. The porch was lit by strands of fairy lights draped between the eaves. Greenery and flowers lined the railings and the staircase up to the front doors. The effect was almost ethereal. I had to give Alice her credit—the girl knew how to decorate.

Edward opened my door and led me up the stairs and into his house. Everyone was waiting for us in the foyer.

"Happy birthday, Emme!"

The attention of all seven Cullens at once made me uncomfortable—I wasn't exactly one that enjoyed the spotlight—but I pushed it down before rushing to Alice to give her a hug. "Thanks, Alice. Everything looks amazing."

Every surface that I could see was covered in candles and fairy lights that gave off a lovely, golden glow. There were vines of greenery and crystal bowls filled with lavender flowers everywhere. Combined with the beauty of the Cullen home, it looked pretty enough to be the site of a wedding.

Alice pulled me away from Edward and led me into his music room. It was normally an empty room with the exception of his grand piano and a scattering of other instruments. Now, it held a table with a deep violet birthday cake that looked as if it'd come straight out of a magazine. The top of the piano had a small pile of silver and gold wrapped presents.

I looked at my friend with disbelief. "Remember when I said I didn't want to make a fuss about this, Alice?"

She chuckled innocently. "Yes."

I rolled my eyes but was prevented from saying anything else by Esme who pulled me into a warm hug and then passed me along to Carlisle. Then I was being ripped away by Emmett who hoisted me off my feet and spun me around as if I weighed no more than a feather—which was probably true.

Emmett had eagerly forgiven me for attacking him even if his wife hadn't. We'd actually spent a lot of time together over the summer. We both had competitive natures and didn't back down from a challenge be it over video games (I was so much better than him it was almost funny) or how long we could hold his Jeep over our heads (he beat me every single time).

"Set her down, Emmett," Alice demanded pointedly. "You have somewhere else to be."

He obliged and sent me a wink before leaving swiftly out of the room and through the front door without a word.

I narrowed my eyes, gaze following him out the room. It wasn't a very inconspicuous way to sneak off. He was up to something.

Alice skipped over to distract me, radiating so much happiness it was hard to ignore. I looked over at Jasper with a raised brow. He shook his head with a small smile conveying what I had silently asked: he had nothing to do with it. Alice's good mood was her own doing. I still found it hard to believe that someone could be so cheerful. Jasper was still cautious of me, but we were on friendly terms since I had risked my life to save Alice's. Plus, I had been teaching him more about witches, our magic, and our customs. He liked to be knowledgeable, just in case he ever came across another one of us. I couldn't say I blamed him. I'd done the same thing when I'd learned about vampires, after all.

"Present time!" Alice declared, handing me a light, small box.

The tag said that it was from Emmett and Rosalie. I glanced over at the gorgeous blonde, eyebrow raised. She shrugged indifferently. So it was from Emmett.

I tore open the paper and stared at the contents—something electrical. "Thanks?"

Rosalie snorted. "Alice mentioned you'd need a new car stereo. Emmett's installing it now. Kenwood."

I reeled around, giving Edward a panicked look. I hoped that Alice hadn't mentioned _why_ I needed a new stereo. He was laughing openly at the look on my face. The others had too much tact to comment.

I changed the subject. "Thanks, guys. I can't wait to use it," I told them as Emmett appeared once more. And it was true. It was actually quite a thoughtful gift and an upgrade even from my previous stereo.

Alice reached out to grab another present from the pile. "Here, open this ne—"

But she didn't get to finish her statement.

We all waited, knowing already that she had fallen into a premonition. Unlike me, Alice had the gift of being able to look into possible futures whenever she wanted to, though sometimes, usually when they were important, they took over her sight without her looking for it. The latter was more similar to how my own premonitions worked.

The seconds ticked by. Edward stiffened and his eyes met mine. They were wary. He was concerned.

"What?" I demanded. My mind began whirring and immediately jumping to the hundreds of possibilities about the worst things that Alice was seeing.

Alice's eyes refocused. "Someone's coming. They were at your house, but now they're coming here."

"Who?" I wondered. I didn't know anybody here besides the Cullens and my aunt. "When?"

Alice shook her head. "I don't know. There are two of them. But I know they're looking for you—not us. They'll be here in minutes. They're moving faster than humans."

I looked at the others.

"I knew this would happen," Rosalie spat at me. She didn't leave though. She stayed rooted to the spot. Rosalie was protective. She wouldn't leave her family alone when the possibility of a threat was fast approaching.

My pulse quickened. I hadn't used any magic today—whoever they were, I'd probably at least be able to hold them off so the Cullens could make a run for it. Magic crackled at my fingertips.

Edward stepped next to me placing a hand on my shoulder knowing better than to touch my hand at the moment. "You aren't alone, Emme," he reminded me gently.

I forced my breathing to return to normal and tried to calm myself. He was right. We'd decided after the last incident that whatever was thrown at us, we would face together. We were more than capable of watching out for each other. I glanced at the seven others in the room.

Carlisle met my eyes. "We're with you, Emme."

The festive atmosphere was gone. We waited in silence until finally there was a knock at the door.

Carlisle straightened, moving to the door with Esme at his side. Edward gripped my hand now that it wasn't sparking… partly for comfort and partly to make sure I didn't do something stupid before we had all the facts. We both knew I was prone to acting before thinking.

"Can I help you?" Carlisle's smooth voice questioned the strangers.

"We're here for Emerine Wildes." The voice that answered was a woman's. It was cold, stern, and demanding. She didn't make an effort to hide her distaste for Carlisle.

Hearing it sent a jolt of shock through my body. I sucked in a breath of realization. I pulled myself out of Edward's grip and made my way through the door. He followed me closely, clearly worried.

Carlisle hadn't answered. He'd heard me coming and stepped out of my way, allowing me to face the visitor.

"High Councilwoman Corey?"


	2. A Problem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before we really get into this story, I just wanted to say a couple of things.
> 
> Like in Devil's Playground, I'm hoping that this story will take as much as the toxicity out of New Moon as I can while keeping the characterizations and overall vibe of Twilight the same. One thing that will absolutely not be in this story is any sort of imprinting with infants... all imprintees will be aged up to at least high school age so romance isn't creepy lol. And speaking of the Quileute tribe, SMeyer really did a number on them. I'll be keeping her lore since it's integral to the story, but any additional lore that I include (and there will be some) will be straight from the Quileute website, not me. That being said, I'm not a member of their tribe. I'm just a writer doing the best she can.
> 
> Don't forget to check out this story's tumblr (devils--playground) for hints and updates as to what I'm doing with Devil in Me!

I recognized the woman that stood on the Cullens' porch.

She was tall in her black heels—almost as tall as Jasper—and her curves were accentuated by the tight, black pencil dress she wore. The professional outfit was completely juxtaposed by the tattoos of runes that littered her arms, hands, neck, and legs. They almost blended into her umber skin, but the porch lights illuminated her enough that you could clearly see what they were. Much like how witches couldn't use magic to heal themselves, they also couldn't use magic-making runes on their own bodies. The tattoos were purely for aesthetic purposes. Silver chains were threaded through her ears and fell to her shoulders and glittered as she jerked her head towards me.

Her hair was different now, styled in long, dark braids, but it was definitely her. High Councilwoman Inez Corey, Madame of the High Council of Magic, and the only other Septe that I knew of besides those in my family.

Next to her was a small man. The differences between the two were almost comical. He was short and stout with a bushy blonde mustache that reminded me of something you would see in an antique photograph. I didn't recognize him, but judging by the all-black professional attire he was also wearing, I assumed him to be another member of the High Council. He was not nearly as intimidating.

"Emerine," Inez began, eyes narrowing as she examined the Cullens around me. "What exactly is going on here?"

I could hear the tension and suspicion in her voice. Inez was one word away from attacking, though it would seem she'd see it as protecting.

"A birthday party," I explained quickly, hoping to get rid of some of the tension.

"Would you like to join us? Friends of Emme's are always welcome here," Carlisle added, ever the diplomat.

I glanced at Alice. Neither her nor Edward had made any sort of moves to stop the conversation from happening, so I took it as a good sign. I sensed Inez was confused and on guard, but there was no intent to harm quite yet. That was about all I could get from her, though.

Inez's brows furrowed as her attention moved from me to back to Carlisle. "You will stay out of this, vampire," she snapped.

The other Cullens immediately went rigid at the blatant display of disrespect. Inez knew exactly what she did. Her dark eyes were smug, daring them to attack first.

I looked back at them, desperate to diffuse the tension. "We'll just go talk outside. I'll be right back, all right?" I directed the last question at Edward.

He nodded sharply. It was obvious he didn't want to let me go alone, but he trusted me enough to make my own judgment. Plus, I wasn't going far.

I all but ran out of the house and onto the lawn, making sure the witch and warlock were following behind me. The hesitated, but did.

It only took half a second for Inez to begin her questioning. "What are you doing with a coven of vampires, Emerine? Are they keeping you here? Where are your aunts?"

I looked away from her at the mention of Blair and Isolde. The familiar pang of their loss was still sharp. No one really spoke to me about them unless I brought it up first. My aunts were not on friendly terms with the Council, but they had been once. Inez and the rest of the witches in Salem ought to know what had happened to their sister witches, despite the falling out.

"There was an accident involving a vampire. It was taken care of with the help of the Cullens, but Blair's spirit has moved on and Isolde is in a coma."

Inez sucked in a breath, her eyes flashing.

The man next to her finally spoke. "Two Septes? Gone? How is that possible?"

I nodded solemnly. "It was the night of Ostara. I was… training by myself and depleted a lot of my power. I don't know what Isolde and Blair were doing, but when I returned home Blair was already dead and Isolde's magic was depleted. I don't think they had the strength to fight back."

Inez nodded as if the information were nothing more than the answer to a question. "If this is true, then why are you in the company of vampires at this very moment?" Her tone was cold and hard. It was so unlike the Inez Corey I remembered from my time in Salem. She was the youngest witch on the council—only about ten years older than I was. She was also the strongest. She had offered to let me live with her and teach me magic before my aunts had taken me in. But now, I almost didn't recognize her.

"They saved me—"

" _No_ ," Inez spat. "They are the reason your family is dead—or as good as."

I heard a glass break from inside the house.

I glared at her. "You weren't here. You don't know what happened. If you had been, you would know—"

Inez held up a hand, cutting me off again. I bristled, but she ignored my offense and continued. "What I know is this. It is forbidden for witches to associate with vampires. When we sent you here, we expected your aunts to teach you our rules as well as our magic. I can see now that it was foolish of us to believe that they would."

I could feel the blood beneath my skin beginning to boil. Friend or not, Inez was crossing a line by insulting not only the Cullens but also my family. "My aunts did what they thought was right. It's not like you helped at all. All of you—the entire council—just sat around and let me be oblivious, just waiting for me to explode."

"Non-ranking witches don't need to know the inner workings of the High Council, Emerine. We would have explained the Laws the second you passed your first trial. The fact that your aunts did not is a blatant display of disrespect for not only the High Council but their brothers and sisters in magic."

"I _respectfully_ disagree!" I insisted sarcastically, now thoroughly infuriated that this stranger could stand in front of me and pretend to follow all the rules when they were the reason my father was dead and my mother abandoned me. "I think that the most blatant display of disrespect is getting vampires to kill my father just because you didn't like what he had to say!" The magic was beginning to crackle at my fingertips.

Inez eyed me warily. She could sense the magic in me, waiting for her to make a move so I could release it. It had grown since she last saw me, and she recognized it. Fully trained, one day I might even be more powerful than her. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"I think I do."

We stared at each other, neither ready to back down. It was silent.

The man next to Inez cleared his throat. "Madame Corey, perhaps it would be best if we take the girl with us."

Edward was at my side in an instant, unable to standby and listen anymore. I grabbed his hand reflexively. It was a force of habit by this point. I probably accidentally sent a magical jolt through him, but he didn't acknowledge it like he normally would have. He stood by me, watching, ready to intervene if the man tried to act on his suggestion.

"Edward is my soulmate. The Cullens are my friends. My aunt is still here. I won't be leaving any of them, especially to go with the likes of _you_."

The strange man began to speak again. "Insolent—"

Edward dropped my hand and took a step forward, allowing a feral hiss to escape past his lips. It sent a shiver through me much like it had when he'd done the same to James.

The man's eyes looked startled. It was obvious he wasn't very high ranking—maybe a Thridde—but Inez was not scared in the slightest. If it came to a fight, she would defeat me easily. But she had to know she was outnumbered. She might defeat me, but she wouldn't be able to take on all of us.

I stepped forward and put my hand on Edward's shoulder. He relaxed from his crouch, still full of tension. "The High Council of Magic has been nothing but trouble for my family. I will follow my aunts' example and remain in self-exile."

Inez snorted. "You're following in your family's footsteps all right. Every last one of you, infatuated with other creatures. It's disgusting."

"It's a disgrace to magic," the man added. It would have been comical if I didn't dislike him so much.

I turned to face him fully, crossing my arms. He had annoyed me one too many times at this point. "Who even are you?"

Inez ignored me. "You're still a witch Emme. You may live here, but you must follow our rules. They are there for a reason."

"Fine. But Edward is my soulmate. I am allowed contact with him and his family—per _the rules_ that you are so fond of."

Inez rolled her eyes, relaxing now that I seemed to agree with her. "Vampires can't be soulmates, Emerine. It's impossible."

"It's not, and you know it," I accused. That damn vision was what got me into this mess, to begin with. "I demand a hearing to present my case."

Inez was silent. She examined Edward and me briefly before her eyes flitted to the house.

The rest of the Cullens were on the porch, not even bothering to pretend to give us privacy anymore. They were all watching. One wrong move and they would defend Edward and me.

"Fine." Her tone was hard as if she was only agreeing to get me off her back. She probably was. "But until the hearing, you _must_ follow our rules. If you break them, you will be sentenced accordingly, and we will contact the Volturi about their vampires breaking the Accords as well."

I didn't know what the Accords were, but I couldn't exactly ask Inez or the man. I looked at Edward. His face was drawn and pained.

Inez had spoken the magic words, and she knew it.

"The vampires will leave by tomorrow night or you will—I don't much care. You will have no contact with them until your case has been presented and a verdict decided. If you violate these terms, you will be sentenced. It's up to you to decide. We'll be checking in." And with that, Inez turned on her heel and walked into the forest, the short, round man close on her heels.

No one made a move until it was certain that the witches were out of earshot. Then, a lot of things happened at once.

Rosalie leaped off the porch gracefully, righted herself, and began marching toward me, lips pulled back in a grotesque snarl that turned her beauty into something much darker.

Edward pushed me back hard—probably much harder than he intended to—in his eagerness to get me out of the way. I fell backward onto my wrist, immediately hearing a pop and feeling a jolt of pain shoot up my arm. Edward glanced back at me assessing the damage before deciding the more immediate danger was Rosalie. He dropped into a low crouch in front of me.

Emmett flew off the porch after his wife. He was in between the siblings faster than I could follow. "Rose…" I knew Emmett wouldn't want them to fight, but mostly because he would protect Rosalie when it came down to it. They were mates, after all. He loved all his siblings, but the love between him and Rosalie was different, just like it was with Edward and me.

"Don't you _dare_ ," Rosalie spat at Emmett, stopping her warpath to yell at him. "I've been saying something like this was going to happen from the beginning. We should have killed her when we had the chance and been done with it."

I was ready before she finished her statement. Edward was ready to lunge at her, but I held him back with my magic, wincing as I jostled my wrist. It felt like it was just a sprain, but it still hurt. "Edward!"

My voice seemed to pull him out of whatever animalistic instincts he had succumbed to. Edward stopped fighting me almost immediately. I held him for a moment longer as he composed himself, just in case. If I could help it, I wasn't going to cause even more problems for the Cullens than I already had.

Emmett had stopped Rosalie from advancing, but her black eyes watched me like a hawk watches a field mouse.

It was quiet for a moment. I looked at Alice. It was almost second nature by now. Over the summer, I had grown so used to looking to going to Alice for everything from comfort to clothes. This time, the small girl wasn't looking back. Her eyes were distant, sorting through the various futures that only she could make sense of. I wished for what must have been the thousandth time that I could control my power of premonition as she did.

I heard Edward murmuring from behind me. I couldn't make out what he was saying; his voice was purposely low enough that I wouldn't be able to hear. It was clear that he was watching what Alice was seeing and speaking with her about it.

"What is it?" I asked nervously. I had a feeling I knew exactly what it was, and that's why they weren't including me in the conversation.

Edward and Alice ignored me, but Emmett spoke up. "Annoying, isn't it? It's been decades, and I still can't follow the one-sided conversations. But I think they're looking for options."

I appreciated his attempt to lighten the atmosphere.

"What do you see, Alice?" Jasper asked from next to her on the porch. I doubted he much cared about how the situation turned out, as long as Alice was safe.

Alice's brow knit together. "I'm not sure. A lot of things keep changing. I think—"

Edward made a noise of objection.

"I think," Alice continued, ignoring him, "we're going to leave."

"No!" Rosalie whined. "Why should we be the ones to have to leave? I like it here. We can almost be normal!"

"She's right," I pointed out, running a hand through my hair. "It wouldn't be easy, but I'm sure I could make enough amends with the Council to play nice until the hearing. Then we could go from there."

Edward's response was immediate. "Absolutely not. You'd be at risk."

"You can't know that for sure," I pointed out. "Inez used to be like an older sister to me. She might be willing to forgive me."

"And if she isn't?" Leave it to Edward to be a pessimist.

Carlisle spoke slowly, thinking. "No, Edward is right. It's clear that your returning to Salem could put you in danger." He glanced at Alice, and she nodded to confirm his point.

I didn't know that my actions tonight would put me so far out of favor with the High Council. Still, I couldn't regret what I'd said. And I couldn't forgive what Inez said, either. I might have been willing to pretend, but I'd certainly never forget it.

"Out of the question." I was surprised to hear Esme's clear voice add to the conversation. "We would never knowingly put you in danger, Emme." I could read in her eyes what she was didn't say out loud. She loved her son, and I made him happy. So, she loved me too, not that I deserved it at the moment. It was so simple for her. She was good.

Despite my good intentions, I was selfish. I didn't want them to go. I didn't want them to leave me. I pushed those feelings away, hoping to see the bigger picture. "I'm not afraid of the High Council. What I am afraid of, though, are their threats against you. The Volturi don't seem like people you want to intentionally antagonize."

Carlisle frowned. "No, they are not."

"We will leave," Alice chimed, sounding surer of herself this time.

I looked at her. It was the smartest decision, but it didn't hurt any less to hear aloud. Edward's grip around my waist tightened. He'd been too silent during this conversation, probably watching Alice's visions intently.

Alice nodded again. "We'll leave—temporarily. If we follow their rules, the Council will call you for the hearing in half a year or so."

A half a year. I felt as though the wind had been knocked out of me. My heartbeat accelerated in panic. They'd leave, and I'd be truly alone. It happened with everyone else I loved—Father, Mom, Blair, Isolde. Why wouldn't it happen with them, too?

"What happens after that is fuzzy… I don't think they'll decide in your favor, but I'm positive we'll be back to Forks either way." She shot a pointed look at Edward.

I looked up at him, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Whatever. I'm going to pack." Rosalie was gone in a flash. Emmett sent me a thumbs up, happy that he didn't have to break up any fights before following after her.

Carlisle smiled gently at me from the porch. "Emme, perhaps you would allow me to look at your wrist?"

"Oh," I said dumbly, looking down the joint in question. I'd forgotten all about it. Instead, I was waiting for my emotions to catch up with my thoughts. In just about twenty minutes, my life had been completely derailed—again. I thought I'd been at a birthday party. It turned out to be a going-away party. I felt nauseous.

Edward's hand on the small of my back pulled me out of my thoughts. He gently pushed me towards the porch and Carlisle.

The three of us made our way up the stairs to his office. Without thinking about it, my eyes found the portrait of Carlisle with the Volturi coven. Between them and the High Council of magic, I wasn't sure which group I hated more at the moment.

Carlisle took my wrist gently in his hand and looked it over, bending it this way and that. It was sore, but it didn't hurt as much as it would have if it'd been broken. He pulled a long bandage out of a cabinet in the corner.

Edward sat in a wooden chair, watching our every move. He could sense that something was on my mind, and well, he was right.

It was now or never. I would have to tell them eventually. "My aunts said a vampire killed my father… one of the Volturi, specifically. I don't really know the details behind it all."

Carlisle froze. I heard a snap and realized that Edward had broken the arm off the chair he'd been sitting in. He was on his feet now.

I sighed. "I didn't think it relevant before now, but given the circumstances… I think it's important you have all the information before making decisions about being involved with me."

"Emme—" Edward began, but I stopped him.

"Just let me tell the story, please. You _all_ have a right to know." I knew he was going to say that it didn't matter. That he'd stay with me always. And that might be true for him, but Edward was a package deal. I would never try to come between him and his family, and his family might not agree that I was worth the risks. If they were smart, they wouldn't.

Edward nodded and sat back down, fiddling with the chair arm. It was very human of him. I was used to him being still. Carlisle continued to wrap my wrist.

"It's kind of a long story, so I'll try to summarize. When I was growing up, my father was killed shortly after I was born. Everyone always told me they didn't know how it happened, but earlier this year my aunts told me the real reason. Many members of the magical community had a vision of me becoming soulmates with a vampire. I always knew that it was frowned upon for witches to involve themselves in the lives of outsiders, but I didn't realize until tonight that there were actual laws against it. I think my aunts tried to keep them from me so that the vision would come to pass… which I'm assuming it did. They didn't tell me until after we'd met, and by then we were too far involved to change it." I added with a glance at Edward.

He was staring at me intensely, almost questioning.

I gave him a small smile and continued. "Anyway, the Council told my father he could never tell me about this and to do anything in his power to keep it from coming true. He refused. He told the Council that I'd have the option to try and fight fate if I wanted, but he wouldn't force me. They didn't like that answer, I suppose because he was killed soon after. My aunts traced his killer back to a vampire and eventually to the Volturi. When the told the High Council what they'd found, they refused to do anything about it. Turns out the Council made a deal with the Volturi: the vampires would kill my father, and in exchange, the separation between witches and vampires would continue. The Council thought a vampire killing my dad would make me hate them. But then, my mom had her magic bound, my aunts moved out of Salem, and everyone conveniently forgot to tell me that vampires existed until it was too late. I… I think we're on some sort of path now. I don't know. It's just a feeling."

It was quiet for a moment.

Edward's smooth tenor broke the silence. "Why didn't you tell me?"

I snorted. "After the whole James thing, it just never felt like the right time. I was going to; I just wanted to wait for a time when things weren't so… perfect. I didn't want to be the one to ruin things."

He nodded, knowing exactly what I meant. This summer had been one of the best summers of my life, and I knew he felt the same way.

"Thank you for telling us, Emme," Carlisle began politely. "Though I can assure you it does not affect our decision at the moment."

I sighed. "You're really too good to me."

He squeezed my now wrapped hand with a smile. "You're family."

It was weird how two words could make me feel so happy and so guilty at the same time.

"Now, if you'll excuse me. I have some packing to do," he smiled.

Edward took me by the hand and led me back down the stairs. I glimpsed Alice out of the corner of my eye, but she was gone before I could be sure I really saw her. Edward turned to me. "How about a run?"

I grinned, pushing back the ache in my chest. Edward always knew just what to say to make me feel better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So originally I was going to wait to write this until after I finished Midnight Sun, but I got halfway through it and couldn't wait lol. It's really been fascinating... I kind of want to go back and change some things in DP, but I'll wait until the verrrrrryyyy end of Emme's story before I think about doing that.
> 
> Anyway, thank for being so patient while I was on my break. I'm a bit busier now than I was when we were in quarantine (technically I'm still quarantining, but I have other projects I gotta work on), but I'm still hoping to update at least weekly. If I don't, updates will be on the tumblr! It took me ages to outline New Moon... I don't know if anyone noticed, but almost NOTHING happens in it. It's all basically exposition for Eclipse, so that was really hard to workaround. Twilight was such a stand-alone in comparison. I think I finally figured it out, though, so we'll see how it goes!
> 
> Next chapter we should be introducing some of the pack! Let me know if you have any ideas on what's going to happen. Until then!

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back! It almost feels like no time has passed at all since I finished Devil's Plaground ;)
> 
> This chapter is more of a prologue to kick things off since it's so short. Like I mentioned at the end of DP, I really wanted to get this out at the same time so I shortened it. It's a recap for the most part, but there are some tidbits in there that I hope you enjoyed. Sorry for the cliffhanger! I hate them, but I had to do it lol.
> 
> Until next time!


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